OKLAHOMA CITY – Terrance Jackson of Oklahoma City University has been selected by the New York Mets in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Jackson, a junior from Greenville, Ala., was taken in the 45th round with the 1,352nd pick Wednesday. The draft lists Jackson as a left-handed pitcher, but he also served as OCU's regular center fielder this year.
For the Stars, Jackson went 6-2 with a 6.83 earned run average while striking out 60 in 54 innings pitched. Jackson notched a complete-game effort against Northwestern Oklahoma State on May 12 at Jim Wade Stadium in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament. Jackson fanned 10 in 5.2 innings of an 11-1 win over Oklahoma Baptist on April 10 in Shawnee, Okla.
“He is a dual-position player,” OCU coach Denney Crabaugh said of Jackson. “He changes speeds well. He has become more effective with an improved breaking ball. He is a good defensive outfielder who gets the ball. He is a solid offensive player who combines speed with power.”
Jackson hit .338 with 63 runs scored, 79 hits, 26 doubles, a triple, 10 home runs, 58 RBIs and a team-high 15 stolen bases. In the SAC Tournament, Jackson hit .393 with two doubles, four homers, 11 RBIs and two steals. Jackson went 3-for-4 with a double, two homers – including a grand slam – three runs scored and six RBIs against Southern Nazarene on May 11 in the SAC Tournament.
Jackson drove in four runs on three occasions – at Texas Wesleyan on Feb. 6, against Southwestern Oklahoma State on Feb. 16 and vs. Wayland Baptist (Texas) on April 30. Jackson went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double, a three-run homer and four RBIs against Texas Wesleyan.
In 2008, the Houston Astros selected Jackson in the 22nd round with the 662nd choice of the MLB Draft.
The Stars went 50-16, won the SAC Tournament and the NAIA Championship Opening-Round Group 5 Tournament and reached the NAIA World Series for the 12th time in program history. OCU has notched 12 consecutive 50-win seasons and compiled the most wins in college baseball (1,023) since 1991.
OCU has produced 127 professional players and 56 selected in the draft. Crabaugh has mentored 116 future pros and 50 draftees in 23 years at OCU including 22 as head coach.
